The foresty and beachy Ilha Grande, if only we can stay longer

Leaving the exciting and magnificent Rio de Janeiro reluctantly, we went to Angra do Reis to catch the ferry to the island. With some directions from the information we sorted out that we should take a bus to the pier for the government ferry. Before we set off for the ferry, we had to repack our backpacks so that gears for winter and necessary for the hiking and camping were packed away and stored in the bus terminal storage service. It took quite some time. We also bought bus ticket from the bus terminal to Joinville, where our next host was.

When we got to the pier, a more beautiful sailboat without sail was taking mostly backpackers and getting ready to take off. I have the gut feelings that it was not that government ferry because it took no other goods but people. We walked further and found that government ferry waiting and the ticketing office had not opened yet. After an hour of waiting, when I bought beef, vegetable and kerosene for the camping, we were on the way to Ilhe Grande.

There are several hiking trails on the island. Rounding the island took four to five days. We were there only for two days and two nights (the only ferry left the island daily at 10am, it was a bit early that we could only stay out for one night and another one near the pier). When we reached the northern part of the island (Abraao, which was the center of the island), we headed straight to the southern part of the island, which was more deserted and away from crowd from the north. We planned that the trail, marked as medium level and took 2.5 hours, would bring us to the destination at 7 pm the latest. It was actually wide trail that even a truck could go alone, composed of only one uphill and one downhill section. The uphill was less slanted than I expected. However, with the still heavy backpack, M had a hard time to walk my speed. It was dark when we arrived the destination. A government guard stopped us from going further because no camping was allowed and the quota for entering the area was full. We were supposed to go back on the same route.

It was raining. It was dark. We were tired. We didn’t want to go back. So we kept showing that we did not understand what he said, dropped down the backpack and waited for what came next. Luckily that there was another guard coming to take us to an activity hall where we could set up our tent in a sheltered balcony. There was water and electricity (if only we had M’s electric stove). We made the beef, rice and the bamboo soot found by M on the way: because of the smoky stove the beef was not well made, the bamboo soot was bitter and the rice was ok.

a local fishing boat

The next morning at 6am we were awaken up by the same guard who observed us packing up and leaving, so we did within half and hour. We did not blame her because she gave us a good place to stay already. After having breakfast near a beach we went on another trail leading us to Paranoca, another beach on the south.

It was my first time in an south american forest. We were lucky that the trees were so high and we were shaded from the strong sun. There was not much tough terrace, except some less clear path. There were also streams for us to add water and rest. We have been scaring off many animals which moved too quickly for us to see. There was some howling sounds especially in valleys since we came to the island but we still did not figure out where it came from. 

After 4.5 hours, more than the map suggested (2.5 hours), we reached the Paranoca beach. It is a beautiful one with minimal people and also with campsite. We had lunch there and reluctantly left after 2 hours. If we had not bought any bus ticket we would have stayed there for a night.

We had to walk the same route back to the Abraao; 15 km to cover and we knew it would be dark when we got there. When we passed the village where we slept, we went in to local grocery store, also a bar and there we saw a cool woman who introduced us a place to stay for free. M liked her a lot because she looked just so cool. We had a set lunch made by her , gained energy and started our last 8 km back to Abraao.

picture taken by M@6am when bit by mosquitoes

our belonging on the beach

It was a tough walk for M, the torches were out of battery and we went slow. M felt sleepy and we walked even more slowly. When we arrived it was 2am. We found a beach and slept there. M learnt that sleeping on a beach at night was not a good idea with insect bites (she was still healing on two mosquitoes bites on her palms). I had been standing on my heavy backpack (more than double of M’s backpack) to wait for her and my feet hurt a lot on next day. Finally we caught the 10am ferry back to Angra.

the beach we slept on, still beautiful isn't it ?

Not counting the long and slow walk, I enjoyed the trials and the beaches a lot. If only I had more time to stay longer, I told myself next time I would sail to there and cover all trails there.

A trip to Tigre - we want a house like that!!!

After 2 hours of long bus trip on 60 (actually train only takes 1 hour), we came to Tigre. A town on a delta at the north of Buenos Aires. It was Tuesday when we got there, finding out that most museums open from Wednesday to Sunday. We just walked and tried some luck. The only good thing of taking a bus was to see the street on the way, then I found many sailing gear shops along the way. We walked to the quiet Puerto de Frutos, a market which should be more noisy on weekends, there we did the tourist thing by taking the sight-seeing boat around the delta to see how the locals live. They have houses near the river and a world of themselves. The river has road name that boats can go amongst different houses. There are also hostels and boutique hotels around costing a few hundred peso a night at least, but give a quiet island-like place for vacation.

A museum showing local house

We got a little hassle when reading the notice board near the ferry pier, a rugged guy speaking English with us claimed that he was from Africa and was robbed, now owing a few peso to take a ferry out. In my opinion, if he could live in the delta house he was not that poor indeed. A desperate way is to swim there, I saw kids swimming in the murky water. Certainly he asked for money after asking for a lighter for his cigarette, a typical way of street nuisance. We just moved away.


Then we went into the casino and see how it was in latin america. We were like zoo animals as only locals were playing there and were not used to see Asian like us walking in. We took some time watching how they played roulette, got sweat when seeing them putting chips (minimal 5 peso, mostly 10) to buy all the numbers like they were not money at all. A bet would have been our use for a week. What a good way to see their pathological gambling behavior. They were so used to the stiff faces on themselves, a way to show no emotion to mask themselves up. I believe that such habit could be internalized, masking their emotion within, so as to suppress others.


Getting out of the casino, we passed a local electric train station with a booth named "Delta Safari". A day trip costs 350peso per person to have powerboat getting to far inside the delta for nature. Attractive but it was not our budget, although a pair of tango sneakers from Farbio would have cost that...It is all about what you value more.


Then we passed an amusement park with an all-you-can-play pass costing 120 peso (in great discount because of non-peak day). It was nearly 5pm so we passed again.

There are many local rowing clubs, but like Hong Kong they are clubs for those who can pay for club service more than the sport club itself.

We shall come back again, not because of the amusement park, nor the casino, but the beautiful Muse de Arte Tigre.and sail gear shops.

Are we specially pessemistic or born worriers ?

Last night I had a Christmas party with the GA crew. The crew I have been with on the boat called GA since 2006. They were very excited about our world trip, also having concern such as medical insurance, the difference between pickpocket and robbery (as the later can claim insurance), transportation, food, money, work and living place after the trip etc. To them we are doing a very bold move, to me they have too many worries. A typical Hong-konger certainly has a lot of worries about such a trip with concern about what next and money. I shared a view that if next year is the end of the world, would there be difference between facing it next to the Iguazu Fall and facing it in your office with piles of work around you. I regretted not going further talking about Jesus's coming at anytime. My point at that time was to challenge their lifeviews. I sensed that they did have some reflection about "would we do that ?". They also suggested many ways of earning money along the way. They are very creative, such as writing Chinese calligraphy of sale (I should buy brush and ink, which are easier to carry than electrical egg pie machine), merchandising local products and selling online etc. They were excited, also mixed an atmosphere of missing and nostalgia.



(watching Maria doing belaying in climbing exam at the moment, kind of distracted now)




Another information I got is the trip from South America in Antarctica. The cheapest way is to wait in the port for budget seat, and that still cost USD5000 per person for a 20 days trip. It is so expensive and we may not go there.


Finally, I won the lucky draw of 3 sunscreen lip balms, which should be enough for use in these 2 years.


It was a good farewell gathering. I left 2 race shirts for Arthur for my successors, don't know if we shall take the same boat when we are back. When I said in a humorous tone that we shall not be back (who knows, but with an idea that we may settle somewhere), they were very worried, with implication that we shall lose our lives somewhere. Why do HK people so pessimistic ? No matter what, they are good people and friends of mine




Thanks to GA and crew for these years of good sailing.